Don't Go Disappearing Again
by scarlet tribe
Summary: Before Steve was Captain America, he had one friend. Lucille King was Steve's best friend so it only makes sense that he remembers the day she disappeared. Honestly, anyone would remember. But with a new enemy on the rise, Steve has no time for reminiscing. The avengers must come together to defeat this new foe. But sometimes, the past can help to alter the future.
1. Chapter 1

Time Warp

The year was 1942 when she disappeared. It was a cloudy day, threatening rain. The two friends were walking tighter down the streets, trying to get home. A lanky blond boy walked with a petite burnete who walked with her head high and a smile on her face. She had been delt a rough deck of cards, but she always managed to get out ok. She was always able to smile. That is why Steve liked her. Lucille King was one of the few people who got to know Steve. It was in elementary school when they first met.

Steve was being picked on by two boys in the schoolyard. Steve had always been thin and small, an easy target for bigger, meaner boys. Steve was on the ground and one of the boys went to kick him. A small girl had run over and tackled the boy. The two of them fell and Lucille had landed on top of the older boy. She grabbed him by the collar and shook him back and forth. They struggled together until a teacher came and picked her up off the boy. He had a bloody nose and hears running down his face.

Lucille skinned bother her knees and was sporting a bruise on her cheek. The teacher pulled the two aside and attempt to get the story. The two children kept bickering that nothing really got accomplished. Eventually the teacher decided they would have to stay after school and clap erasers as a punishment for fighting. The look of fear on Lucille's face did not escape Steve.

The next day Steve walked into the classroom and sat down next to Lucille. Today she was wear a faded blue dress. It was slightly frayed at the hems. He noticed her bruise was darker and her head was hung low. She wasn't smiling. He leaned over to see what she was drawing or writing when she snapped her head to him.

"What do you want?" She snapped and glared. Steve startled back, surprised by the outburst.

"Um. I just wanted to say thanks." Steve said. He noticed Lucille had started picking at her dress. "You got those boys away from me." Her shoulders relaxed and so did the you girl's face. She turned back to her doodle shyly.

"You're welcome." sHe almost whispered.

"Why did you help me?" He asked. Lucille looked at him with curious eyes, not understanding the question. "Why shouldn't I? I thought you were supposed to stop people from being hit."

"I thought so too, but no one ever does." Steve said quietly. Lucille looked to her paper before looking at Steve with a smile and bright, hopefull eyes. "Hey, do you want to have lunch with me? Maybe if we stick together, people will leave us alone!" Steve smiled at the offer and agreed.

From then on , the two were inseperable through the years. Even though their classes were split in middle and high school, they always studied together, hugn out, ate together, shared their dreams. When Steve found out about her alcoholic father, he would let her stay over at his house when the man got violent. Steve's mother was more than willing. When Steve's mother died, she was there to help him through it. The two were there for each other, through thick and thin.

It was a day in 1942 when Lucille disappeared and it was a day Steve never forgot.

The two were walking quickly to their homes, Steve had met up with Lucille earlier. She had been going to try and find a job with the military, like a secretary job. She wanted something better than being a waitress. She wanted to put herself through college, become a writer or something. She had ran into Steve afterward and they decided to get dinner and walk back. Now they were trying to make it home before it rained.

"So how do you think it went?" Steve asked as they crossed a street. Lucille's shoes clicked against the pavement.

"I am not sure. The man said they would call me when they decide. Who knows how long that is going to take." She said exasperated. Steve smiled.

"You are one of the best writers in our class. I'm sure you can get something." Steve offered. Lucille shrugged and tried not to shiver. It was getting late and the sun was going down. The wind had picked up and brought goose bumps to her arms. Steve must have noticed because he took off his warm brown coat and wrapped it around her. She smiled, greatful for the warmth. She had been wearing a brown wrap around dress that had a black belt around the waist and stockings. Not enough to block the wind.

The two continued talking as they walked down the busy streets. The sun had set and dark storm clouds loomed overhead. The two froze as a loud clap of thunder shook the ground. Lucille hated storms. Steve's small apartment wasn't far, but she needed to go home and cook supper before her father got home.

"Steve, I'm going to catch the bus home. I need to cook supper." She said as she took off his coat and returned it to him.

"Luc, are you sure you don't want to wear it until you get home?" She shook her head and smiled at him. "Steve, you are such a sweet heart. Surprised you haven't gotten yourself a girl yet." Lucille teased and Steve blushed. "Hurry home, before you catch cold." She said and reached up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, leaving red lipstick behind. She turned and began to cross the street. The next crosswalk was a block away and the bus was already heading to the stop. She trotted into the street as it began to rain lightly.

Steve saw the car before it struck her. It was going so fast he didn't even have a chance to warn her. The car was seconds away from hitting Lucille when a bolt of lightning reached down from the heavens and struck her. Steve had to turn away and cover his ears from the resounding boom of thunder and crash of a car.

When he looked back up, his friend was gone. People gathered around trying to see what had just happened. There was no blood, no body and no Lucille.

It had just started to drizzle.

Lucille saw the car heading straight for her. She held her breathe waiting for the impact when a blinding white light flashed around her. She raised her hands to shield her eyes. When she opened them again, she was disoriented for a moment. It was so much brighter and louder. She was on a sidewalk somewhere. And it was pouring. Thunder boomed overhead and startled her into movement. She almost ducked to avoid the noise.

Lucille looked around, panicked. Where was she? Was she dead? Where was Steve?

She ran down the sidewalk.


	2. Chapter 2

"Director Fury! Come look at this!" Agent Maria Hill said to Director Fury from her seat. An agent had just called her over and shown her the video feed. "What is it Agent Hill?" He asked impatiently.

"Sir, a lightning strike has just hit New York, near Stark's tower." She reported. Fury eyed her with his good eye.

"And why are we worried about a lighting bolt?" Maria hesitated. It sounded almost crazy.

"Sir, someone came out of it. I believe if you see it, the situation would be better understood." Fury watched the feed. The moment the bolt was out of the picture, he had the person freeze the video and zoom in on the face. He paused. There was no way it was that girl. Lucille King had been a mystery to every government agency in every country. "Run it through facial recognition. Start with people from 1942." Maria furrowed her eyebrows, not entirely sure what was going on.

"Sir, is this some-"

"Director, I have a match. Ms. Lucille Bernadette King, age 22 when she went missing." Fury stared at the frozen picture. She was scared and the rain had not soaked her yet.

"Get me a line to Stark's Tower."

It was a quiet evening in the Stark Tower. Tony, Bruce and Pepper sat on the couch. Pepper and Tony were watching some television show and Bruce was reading some science book. Steve sat at a barstool at the island next to Natasha who was flipping lazily through a cookbook. Clint was cooking steaks for dinner. A bolt of lightning struck near the tower and caused the television to flicker.

"Damn, that was close." Tony said. "Glad to be inside. It's supposed to get nasty. Those steaks almost done, bird man?"

"Tony." Pepper chastised.

"Yeah, but yours is gonna take longer if you keep asking." Clint called back. Natasha nudged Steve's arm without looking up. "What's on your mind. You've been staring out the window for the past five minutes." Steve looked at her. How did she know? She is a spy, he reminded himself.

"Just an old friend. She went missing during a storm." He turned his attention to the television.

"She?" Natasha asked casually. Steve nodded.

"Guys, steaks are done. We eating on the couch or the table?" Clint called as he loaded the steaks onto a plate and set them next to the potatoes and green beans on the island.

Bruce sat at the island with Natasha and Steve. "I'll have mine here if that's alright." He said as he grabbed a plate and some food. Everyone followed suit. The chatter and clang of dishes was a comfortable din as the storm raged outside. Everyone was beginning to settle back down when Jarvis made them aware of a call.

"Sir, Directory Fury wishes to speak with the group." Tony groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Tell him we're out." He said. Clint nodded. "Yeah, out for shwarma."

"Tell me yourself." Fury said, replacing the television show and appearing on the screen. "Avengers, moments ago a lightning bolt struck near your tower. Someone came out of it."

"What do you mean someone came out of it? Is it a person, Asgaurdian, what?" Natasha asked. The Avengers were all sitting at the edge of their seats.

A video was shown next to Fury. They watched the lightning strike and the person who appeared out of nowhere. She was wearing an old fashioned brown dress that was so familiar to Steve. When the picture zoomed in to her face, his heart nearly stopped.

"I believe Steve Rogers knows her. This is Lucille King. She went missing in 1942 when she was struck by lightning. It seems she is back and confused. You need to go get her before she gets into any trouble." Fury asked.

"How do you know Steve knows who she is?" Bruce asked and turned to Steve. "I was the one who told the police what happened. We were walking home and she went to catch a bus. How is this possible?" Steve asked.

"We don't know yet. That is one of the reasons we need her. She may be able to answer some questions. I will be joining you all in a few days to speak with Ms. King. Good Luck." And with that he was gone. Tony stood. "Not one for conversation. So, what next?" He asked, looking to Steve who had become the group leader.

Minutes later the group had split up and started combing through the city. Steve was on foot and out of his suit. Natasha and clint were sent to look through the alley ways. Bruce was being driven by Hapy and Tony? Well, Tony was in his Iron Man suit.

It had been a good half an hour and there was no sign of her. As Steve walked along the sidewalks he thought back on the day Lucille went missing and thought of possible explanations for her sudden appearance. He couldn't find any. Did she know about all that has happened over the years? Where did she go? How was he going to explain where she was?

He pushed all those thoughts aside and focused on finding her.

"Hey Captain. " Clint addressed him over the coms. "Found her. She's near an alley just a few blocks from you. I've been following her for a few minutes to make sure it's her. Do you want me to grab her?" Clint asked. Steve stopped to think. Should Clint grab her or would she react better to Steve?

"Hey, Clint, just keep an eye on her, I'm on my way." Steve took off in a light jog own the sidewalks.

"Shit! Captain she knows I'm following her. She was about to get jumped by a couple of thugs and I stepped in. She ran down the alley!" Clint reported. Steve bolted for that alley.

Lucille had been wandering around the city for almost an hour. It was so loud and crowded. The cars were so different. Faster and louder. Their lights were brighter. She was walking against the crowd that shuffled by with umbrellas and news papers. She was soaked and cold. She should have kept Steve's jacket.

Lucille had been walking around the strange city for a while so it was only a matter of time before a group o drunk men tried to stop her. As she passed by a darker alley, a man stumbled out and latched onto her wrist. She yelped and yanked back.

"Hey, sweet thing. Don't need to get so feisty. Just wanna have some fun." The man slurred. Lucille backed up and bumped into another man who grabbed her shoulders.

"Yeah, girlie. You look cold. Want me to warm ya up?" He grinned and began to rub her arms slowly. Lucille slammed her heel onto his as hard as she could and elbowed him hard. It was enough to get him off her and she tried to bolt forward but was grabbed by the wrist again by the other man.

"Let me go! Help! Someone!" She yelled. No one was going to help her. What was wrong with these people, did they not hear her?

"Shut up, you tramp! No one is gonna help ya. It's the 21st Century no one cares!" The man said nad tried to pull her closer. Tears ran from her eyes as she desperately struggled and called out for help.

As she was struggling, a man with short brown hair and a bit squarish face stepped up and nailed the guy in the face. The man stumbled back and fell. The new man grabbed Lucille to make sure she didn't fall back but she shook him off and stared at him wide eyed. The second man, now furious that his friend was knocked down, decided to do something.

"Hey! You son of bitch!" He yelled and started forward. Lucille turned and ran, not wanting to stick around. She ran down the dark alley, tears and rain making it difficult to see. She could hear the other man calling after her but didn't persue her.

Lucille ran as fast as she could in her heels and slipped a few times but never fell. She was sobbing hysterically. She burst out of the alley and ran up the street, not sure where she was going but she just needed to get out of there. Where would she go? Who could she trust?

Where the hell was she?!

Lucille slammed into a solid form and would have fallen had the mass not caught her gently. She struggled against him, thinking she was about to be assaulted again. "NO! Let me go! Please! Just let me go!"

"Calm down, Lucille! It's me! It's Steve!" a calm but firm voice said in an attempt to calm her. She struggled but opened her eyes. The man beore her was taller and more muscular than the Steve she knew. But the leather jacket was his for sure and once she saw his face, she knew she had found her frined.

"Oh my god, Steve." She breathed and sobbed.

"Hey, Luc." He said and smiled softly. Lucille sobbed out a small laugh and wrapped her arms around his neck, her nails gently grazing the nape of his neck. She dug her face into his shoulder.

"Steve. Oh my god, I was so scared." She sobbed out. Steve rested his check on her head and just held her close, a comforting hand rubbing on her back. Natasha and Clint met up a few yards away and he held a hand out to keep them away until she was calmer. Natahsa nodded and spoke into her con, informing the others. Steve stood in the rain with his old friend as he watched the other two head back to the tower. They hailed a cab.

"Lucille, you are going to be ok. I know this is going to sound crazy, but its not 1942 anymore. Everything is different. But lets get you somewhere dry." He said and gently pulled her away. She nodded and wiped her eyes. Steve removed his coat and wrapped it around her small frame. She pulled it tight around her and breathed in the familiar scent of Steve and allowed herself to be ushered to Stark Tower.


End file.
